BRICS Summits 2009–2026: Themes, Host Countries and Major Outcomes

BRICS Summits 2009–2026: Get the year-wise themes, host countries, major outcomes, expansion, NDB, CRA and key facts for UPSC and competitive exams.

Table of Contents

BRICS Summits 2009–2026 trace the evolution of the grouping from BRIC—Brazil, Russia, India and China—to an expanded platform representing the interests of the Global South. Since the first summit in 2009, BRICS has increasingly focused on global governance reform, development finance, trade, technology, climate change, health and sustainable development.

The 18th BRICS Summit is being hosted by India in New Delhi on September 12–13, 2026, under the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”

What is BRICS?

BRICS is a grouping of major emerging economies that seeks to strengthen economic, political and development cooperation and promote greater representation of developing countries in global institutions.

The grouping initially consisted of Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRIC). South Africa joined in 2011, making it BRICS.

Following the expansion process launched at the 2023 Johannesburg Summit, BRICS now has 11 full members:

Brazil
Russia
India
China
South Africa
Egypt
Ethiopia
Iran
Saudi Arabia
United Arab Emirates
Indonesia

BRICS Summits: Year-wise Themes and Major Outcomes

Year	Host	Theme / Focus	Major Outcome
2009	Russia, Yekaterinburg	No formal theme	First BRIC Summit; emphasis on reform of the international financial system and a more multipolar global order.
2010	Brazil, Brasília	No formal theme	Focus on global financial reforms and the process of South Africa’s inclusion.
2011	China, Sanya	Broad Vision, Shared Prosperity	South Africa joined the grouping, creating BRICS.
2012	India, New Delhi	BRICS Partnership for Global Stability, Security and Prosperity	New Delhi Declaration; discussions on establishing a BRICS development bank gained momentum.
2013	South Africa, Durban	BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Development, Integration and Industrialisation	BRICS Business Council established; preparations for the New Development Bank advanced.
2014	Brazil, Fortaleza	Inclusive Growth: Sustainable Solutions	Agreement establishing the New Development Bank (NDB) and Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA).
2015	Russia, Ufa	VII BRICS Summit: It’s Time for Action	BRICS Economic Partnership Strategy adopted; cooperation on security and counter-terrorism strengthened.
2016	India, Goa	Building Responsive, Inclusive and Collective Solutions	Goa Declaration; first BRICS-BIMSTEC Outreach Summit.
2017	China, Xiamen	BRICS: Stronger Partnership for a Brighter Future	BRICS Plus outreach gained prominence; counter-terrorism cooperation strengthened.
2018	South Africa, Johannesburg	BRICS in Africa: Collaboration for Inclusive Growth and Shared Prosperity in the 4th Industrial Revolution	Focus on digital economy, innovation and the Fourth Industrial Revolution.
2019	Brazil, Brasília	Economic Growth for an Innovative Future	Greater emphasis on science, technology, innovation, trade and counter-terrorism.
2020	Russia, Virtual	BRICS Partnership for Global Stability, Shared Security and Innovative Growth	BRICS Counter-Terrorism Strategy adopted; cooperation focused on COVID-19 and economic recovery.
2021	India, Virtual	BRICS@15: Intra-BRICS Cooperation for Continuity, Consolidation and Consensus	Counter-Terrorism Action Plan and cooperation on a Remote Sensing Satellite Constellation.
2022	China, Virtual	Foster High-quality BRICS Partnership, Usher in a New Era for Global Development	Focus on digital economy, trade facilitation and resilient supply chains.
2023	South Africa, Johannesburg	BRICS and Africa: Partnership for Mutually Accelerated Growth, Sustainable Development and Inclusive Multilateralism	Major expansion decision; six countries were invited to join.
2024	Russia, Kazan	Strengthening Multilateralism for Just Global Development and Security	First summit after expansion; partner-country framework introduced.
2025	Brazil, Rio de Janeiro	Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance	Focus on global governance, climate, health, AI and strengthening Global South cooperation.
2026	India, New Delhi	Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability	18th BRICS Summit; emphasis on resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability.

Major Milestones in BRICS Evolution

1. Formation of BRIC — 2009

The first BRIC leaders’ summit was held in Yekaterinburg, Russia, in 2009.

The initial agenda focused primarily on:

Reform of global financial institutions
Greater representation of emerging economies
International economic cooperation
Building a more multipolar global order

2. South Africa Joins — 2011

South Africa formally joined BRIC at the Sanya Summit in 2011.

This transformed BRIC into BRICS and gave the grouping a stronger representation from Africa.

3. Creation of NDB and CRA — 2014

The Fortaleza Summit of 2014 was a landmark in BRICS institutionalisation.

Two major financial mechanisms were established:

New Development Bank (NDB):

Provides financing for infrastructure and sustainable-development projects.
Headquarters: Shanghai, China
Strengthens development-financing options for emerging economies.

Contingent Reserve Arrangement (CRA):

Provides a financial safety net for BRICS members.
Intended to address short-term balance-of-payments and liquidity pressures.

4. BRICS Plus — 2017

The Xiamen Summit in China gave greater prominence to the BRICS Plus approach.

It expanded engagement with non-BRICS developing countries and strengthened the group’s role as a platform for wider Global South cooperation.

5. Major Expansion — 2023

The Johannesburg Summit in 2023 marked a major turning point.

BRICS invited:

Argentina
Egypt
Ethiopia
Iran
Saudi Arabia
United Arab Emirates

However, Argentina subsequently decided not to join.

The expansion became effective from January 2024.

6. Indonesia Joins — 2025

Indonesia became a full BRICS member in January 2025, taking the number of full members to 11.

This further increased BRICS’ economic and demographic weight and strengthened its representation in Southeast Asia.

BRICS Summit 2026: India as Host

India is hosting the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12–13, 2026.

The 2026 theme is:

“Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability.”

The four pillars highlight the emerging priorities of the grouping:

Resilience: Strengthening economies and societies against global shocks.
Innovation: Promoting technology, AI and digital transformation.
Cooperation: Deepening practical cooperation among BRICS members and partners.
Sustainability: Advancing climate action and sustainable development.

India’s 2026 chairship also places emphasis on Global South cooperation and people-centric development.

Why is BRICS Important for India?

BRICS is strategically important for India because it provides a platform to:

Strengthen Global South cooperation
Push for reform of the UN Security Council and international financial institutions
Diversify international economic partnerships
Promote development finance through the NDB
Strengthen cooperation in energy, health, technology and climate action
Expand India’s diplomatic engagement with emerging economies
Promote a multipolar world order
Address common challenges faced by developing countries

BRICS and Global Governance Reform

One of BRICS’ consistent objectives has been to seek greater representation for developing countries in institutions such as:

United Nations
IMF
World Bank
Other multilateral financial institutions

BRICS argues that the existing global governance architecture does not fully reflect the economic and demographic weight of emerging economies.

BRICS for UPSC: Key Facts

First Summit: 2009
First Summit Venue: Yekaterinburg, Russia
Original Members: Brazil, Russia, India and China
South Africa Joined: 2011
BRIC became BRICS: 2011
NDB and CRA: Established in 2014
Major Expansion Decision: 2023
Expanded BRICS became operational: 2024
Indonesia joined: 2025
Current Full Members: 11
18th Summit: 2026
2026 Host: India
2026 Venue: Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi
2026 Dates: September 12–13
2026 Theme: Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability